Pakistan wants normal ties with India: Sharif

Islamabad: Pakistan wants “normal” ties with India on the basis of “mutual respect and sovereign equality”, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said today, describing India as an important neighbour.

“India is an important neighbour for us and we would like to have normal relations with the country on the basis of mutual respect and sovereign equality,” Sharif told Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit during a meeting with him at PM’s House. Basit briefed him on the status of the Pakistan-India relations, according to an official statement.

The Prime Minister reiterated that Pakistan wants good neighbourly relations with all countries of the region, it said.

The Prime Minister said it is important that two countries resolve all their outstanding issues including Jammu and Kashmir in order to have viable peace in the region.

India cancelled Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan after Basit held talks with Kashmiri separatists just before the parleys in Islamabad August last year.

Since then both countries have maintained that they are willing to engage in a meaningful dialogue provided the other side takes the initiative.